Sabres are ruining Murray's plan---what does he do??

[matter2003]

I'll say it again: The only thing the Tank was for me was a consolation when they lost. If they lose enough, they might (MIGHT) get McEichel. But with the lottery, even that isn't probable, even if they finish dead last. Murray is too smart of a guy to depend on that scenario playing out. I'm not saying he thought the Sabres would turn it around, but that his plans are to build the team without a 1 or 2 overall pick. If he gets one of those two picks, hey, great, but I'm not sure he needs them to build a strong contender. Half (or more) of the current team won't be here opening night of 2016, and even with these temps they're starting to look pretty good. All it means is that we're ahead of schedule.

 

Not true, if they finished last they would have been assured one of those 2 players as this year they still could only drop 1 spot if they didn't win the lottery

 

These young kids need to learn now while it's tough to help them later when it's easier. The difference between a good team and a great one are those teams that don't quit and win the bad games and pull out the upsets because they believe they can.

 

I'm too much of a pessimist that we'd ever get McDavid anyways. I don't know if Eichel will have that much of an impact. Hell no one knows for sure if McDavid will. So even if we finish last and lost the lottery again who knows. Plus that's only 1 guy. The Penguins didn't win the cup because they got Crosby. They won because of Maulkin, Stahl, Fluery AND Crosby (among others). I'm not really convinced we're one young "generational" player away from a cup. Would I like McDavid? Sure, but the chances of us getting him even if finish last are only 20% unless one of our other first round picks (Islanders, Blues) also finish in the lottery, and I don't see that happening. Not unless Tavaras goes down again.

 

I think this is good for the young players we already have and therefore good for the future.

 

Edit fixed some typos.

 

Scouts have now started saying their is almost no difference between the two and some even saying that Eichel might be a better prospect...he has been really impressive in college hockey playing against much older players than McDavid

 

Good article the other day by ESPN about the Lakers tanking. I can't seem to get it to link up but I an sure someone can help me out.

 

As for Murray I think he lets it go to the halfway point. If we are still playing this way after 10 more games then he has no choice but to continue to do what he can to win NOW. If we crash back to earth then it might be full tank ahead.

 

Their plan is doomed to fail because the 76ers roster would lose against some good college teams

[Doohicksie]

Not true, if they finished last they would have been assured one of those 2 players as this year they still could only drop 1 spot if they didn't win the lottery

 

Oh you're right... that doesn't kick in until 2016.

[Huckleberry]

So we might miss out on Mcdavid and eichel, with the talent we got, i'll be happy with strome.

 

With the first two i can see us making playoffs next year already, strome might not be on the team next year but he'll be fine.

[nfreeman]

The Sabres actually winning a playoff series this year is so so so so so far from reality, and yet you smack Liger's PP for counting on Reinhart to become a good player?

 

I don't recall smacking anyone's PP.

[Jsixspd]

The team is only a few GMTM trades for draft picks from the bottom of the NHL. Tank Devotees shouldn't lose faith yet; there's a lot of season ahead.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

I usually choose the middle one on the least trafficked theory.

 

:w00t:

 

Another quality contribution from X.

 

A late entry for Post of the Year honours for sure.

[Trettioåtta]

Because of how ###### the Metro division is, there is only one wild card spot available - the other should be wildcard spot is taken by the third slot of the metro division.

 

We are currently closer to the playoffs (7 points) than we are to being last in the league (8 points).

 

The Oilers are getting the last spot. You don't recover from this season - their goalies are being run over, screaming at the players on the bench and generally losing faith in their skaters. They don't play as a team or defend one another, and multiple times seem to lack basic awareness of who to cover on the ice. They are going to march to 30th, and probably 4th 1st overall pick in 5 years

[Drunkard]

The team is only a few GMTM trades for draft picks from the bottom of the NHL. Tank Devotees shouldn't lose faith yet; there's a lot of season ahead.

 

Unless those trades include Myers or both goalies it may not help as much as you assume it will. Look at our pending ufa's. The team may actually get better losing some of them. Outside of the goalies those aren't the guys helping us win, although I guess cashing in all of our deadline chips early could lead to a drop in morale and some losses but it wouldn't surprise me one bit to see Nolan get them to rally in spite of it.

[LGR4GM]

Unless those trades include Myers or both goalies it may not help as much as you assume it will. Look at our pending ufa's. The team may actually get better losing some of them. Outside of the goalies those aren't the guys helping us win, although I guess cashing in all of our deadline chips early could lead to a drop in morale and some losses but it wouldn't surprise me one bit to see Nolan get them to rally in spite of it.

Which could be a good thing if they are replaced by a younger player like the Grigorenko/Armia's of the organization.

[ddaryl]

Murray was never going to tank intentionally. And you don't just hang a young roster out to dry without bringing in the right vets that can instil the right atitudes to move forward with.

 

Murray would of made the best of a bad season and a top draft pick but he defintely more happy with accepting a young team learning to win sooner than later

[Doohicksie]

The Oilers are getting the last spot. You don't recover from this season - their goalies are being run over, screaming at the players on the bench and generally losing faith in their skaters. They don't play as a team or defend one another, and multiple times seem to lack basic awareness of who to cover on the ice. They are going to march to 30th, and probably 4th 1st overall pick in 5 years

 

Sounds like Buffalo in October, only worse.

 

:w00t:

 

Another quality contribution from X.

 

A late entry for Post of the Year honours for sure.

 

You know, I didn't get that at all when it was first posted. It just came to me this morning. :D

[SwampD]

 

 

 

You know, I didn't get that at all when it was first posted. It just came to me this morning. :D

Me to, although, I usually prefer the end to guarantee only one neighbor.

[z-man]

Murray said when he was hired that he didn't believe rebuilds should take 5 years. My recollection is that he was basically expecting to be a playoff team in year three, or at least considering that to be a reasonable expectation. And he isn't the type to mislead. If you consider this to be year two, I think the Sabres are playing exactly how he would have planned them to...a young group of players showing signs of becoming a team. That's why he's not going to sell Myers at anything less than an outrageous price, why he's going to take his time weighing Enroth vs. Neuvirth, etc. Of course he will sell Stafford and Stewart, but that's different.

 

I think to be honest that a lot of the tank advocates are just being greedy. Did we forget that we got the #1 forward in last year's draft? Did we forget about the guys already in the system like Grigorenko? Did we forget that we have room to sign some absurd free agents or trade for stars whose teams can't afford them, if they become available?

 

Go take a look at the hockey's future list of our prospects, and try and figure out how we are going to fit those guys on our roster if even half of the good ones pan out in the next 3 years, while adding/replacing veterans. I think Murray did say when he was hired, "The cupboard is not bare."

[3putt]

Sounds like Buffalo in October, only worse.

 

 

 

You know, I didn't get that at all when it was first posted. It just came to me this morning. :D

When you unconsciously chose the center stall?

[LabattBlue]

F***ing Enroth is really screwing up the tank. Even during this winning streak, the Sabres in almost every game are getting outshot, and in most cases, outshot badly.

[Doohicksie]

Sabres had more shots the last game. Just sayin'.

[LabattBlue]

Sabres had more shots the last game. Just sayin'.

Which is why I said "almost". Just sayin'. ;)

[LastPommerFan]

 

Buffalo would have to win 32 out of 52 games just to get to 90 points and would most likely miss the playoffs still.

 

 

29-17-6 would get us to 90.

 

Seems highly unlikely.

 

If they do something like 7-2-2 over their next 11, then you're looking at finishing out the second half with at 22-15-4 record.

 

So basically, they have to repeat the last 11 over the next 11 to get to a point where they just have to play really great hockey in the second half in order to miss the playoffs by 2 points.

 

ugh.

[apuszczalowski]

If I'm Murray, sitting in his position with the assets he has to work with, I'm a buyer working the phones trying to raid some if the rosters of the bottom feeder teams (ie edmonton) and teams looking for cap room (Kings, Hawks, and Bruins). The only asset off the table is their own #1 pick and some of the young guys.

 

I'm not making g the moves looking at this season, but setting myself up for next year and forward.

[That Aud Smell]

Can we merge this with the To Tank or Not to Tank thread?

[Iron Crotch]

Can we merge this with the To Tank or Not to Tank thread?

 

All threads are basically the same at this point. Fretting over not losing enough and filled with unwavering Buffalo-style pessimism.

[LGR4GM]

All threads are basically the same at this point. Fretting over not losing enough and filled with unwavering Buffalo-style pessimism.

But one thread lets us vote on it.

[MattPie]

I'll say it again: The only thing the Tank was for me was a consolation when they lost. If they lose enough, they might (MIGHT) get McEichel. But with the lottery, even that isn't probable, even if they finish dead last. Murray is too smart of a guy to depend on that scenario playing out. I'm not saying he thought the Sabres would turn it around, but that his plans are to build the team without a 1 or 2 overall pick. If he gets one of those two picks, hey, great, but I'm not sure he needs them to build a strong contender. Half (or more) of the current team won't be here opening night of 2016, and even with these temps they're starting to look pretty good. All it means is that we're ahead of schedule.

 

I think it's pretty probable (as in 100%) that they get one of McDavid or Eichel if they finish last this year. Future, not so much with the upcoming changes.

 

If Murray rips apart this roster and starts dumping players so that they will not be able to compete and secure a last place finish, a quality well run organisation would/should show him the door.......

 

I want a GM that doesn't need to pick 1st (or second) overall or have to find a saviour in some young kid in order to build a contending team. A good GM can use all resources to build a winner and doesn't have to win a lottery in order to build his winning team.

 

These two statements contradict each other. Using all the resources includes "ripping apart this roster" if only to trade away most of the UFAs. A well-run organization doesn't let assets walk away, and how many do you think would sign back on (and how many do we want back)?

[Jsixspd]

F***ing Enroth is really screwing up the tank. Even during this winning streak, the Sabres in almost every game are getting outshot, and in most cases, outshot badly.

 

He'd looked really, really average the first month of the season - now all of a sudden he looks like one of the best goalies in the NHL...... Is Enroth actually two different people?

[LastPommerFan]

He'd looked really, really average the first month of the season - now all of a sudden he looks like one of the best goalies in the NHL...... Is Enroth actually two different people?

 

Doubtful. There's no way you could fit two people into his tiny jersey.